Katie can’t wait to be the Carole singer . . .
Oh! Carole! Actress Katie Brayben has been chosen to give voice to Carole King in the West End.
The team behind the Broadway hit Beautiful have selected Ms Brayben, currently portraying Diana, Princess of Wales in the satirical play King Charles III, to play the singer/songwriter in a musical that charts her journey from Brooklyn schoolgirl to artist behind some of some of the world’s most beloved tunes — Will You Love Me Tomorrow, for starters.
She wrote that one with first husband Gerry Goffin, along with Take Good Care Of My Baby, and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. In between writing many of those heartfelt numbers, though, Goffin cheated on her and took large amounts of drugs.
Songs written by King, Goffin, Cynthia Weil, Barry Mann and Neil Sedaka are woven around a story that eventually makes King the heroine of an edgy drama. And there’s not a number in Beautiful that you won’t know.
Brayben has appeared in straight plays and musicals before and is a casting coup for the part. She plays the piano and cello, and writes and performs her own compositions.
her parents are folk and blues singers Fran McGillivray and Mike Burke, so there was always music in the family, what with her sister Jo Burke being a folk singer, too.
‘I’ve never known a project where I say: “I love that song! I love that song . . . and that one!” Brayben said, as we went through the King catalogue, which encompasses hits such as You’ve Got A Friend.
‘She’s such a wonderful songwriter, and the numbers have these beautiful melodies. They speak to people,’ Brayben said.
One of Brayben’s friends told her she was a ‘natural’ for the show, and urged her to audition. At that time, the producers hadn’t decided whether to bring over Jessie Mueller, who created the role on Broadway.
But Paul Blake and Mike Bosner, two of the main producers, told me that finally, they and director Marc Bruni decided to find an actress here. ‘It’s a star-making role,’ Blake explained — a view I share.
Brayben is being allowed to leave King Charles III early to prepare for rehearsals that start in late December.
her spare time has been spent studying King’s concerts on YouTube, listening to her recordings and reading her autobiography. King studied Brayben, too; watching videos of the actress’s auditions and giving her blessing to the casting.
Previews for Beautiful begin at the Aldwych Theatre on February 10, with an official first night on February 24. AlAddin, the disney musical that’s become a goldmine on Broadway, could well end up at the Palladium in 2016. That’s what i’m hearing. Maybe it can help restore the venerable venue’s good name, after that dog’s breakfast of a show, iTV’s Sunday night At The london Palladium. last weekend’s installment was an all-out disgrace. i hope this Sunday’s will be better, but i’m afraid i’ll be taking the dog for a walk.